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Member since 8/24/10
Posts: 26
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Posted on: 8/4/11 4:06 AM ET
I've just finished a quilt for my friends son - it's lots of bright stripes on a white background with a red fleece backing (no batting so it can be washed easily). I pre-washed all the fabric before I used it and nothing had run but, I just washed the finished quilt to get rid of the pencil marks and dirt etc, and all the white has gone pink!!
I used colour sheets and they came out pink as well so I dread to think how much dye was floating around in there. I can only guess it was from the thread?

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get the fabric back to white again??

-- Edited on 8/4/11 4:07 AM --
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http://thimblesatdawn.blogspot.com/
  
Member since 4/23/10
Posts: 195
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Posted on: 8/4/11 7:20 AM ET
You can continue to use the sheets and add some synthrapol. It may take soaking it for a while. I suppose there are times when all the pink won't wash out, but I'd try repeated washings or soakings. I can feel your pain as I have had dyes run as well.
  
Member since 5/11/09
Posts: 288
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Posted on: 8/4/11 1:38 PM ET
In reply to OBX
Sometimes vinegar helps with color bleeding.
  
Member since 6/4/07
Posts: 800
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Posted on: 8/4/11 5:06 PM ET
In reply to kath210
I think vinegar would set the color. It probably would be best to get the "pink" out first so it doesn't get "set-in".
-- Edited on 8/4/11 5:10 PM --
  
Member since 5/1/05
Posts: 524
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Posted on: 8/4/11 6:34 PM ET
You can check some scraps to see if Oxyclean will take it out. Sometimes it does, sometimes not. I was always told that vinegar sets colors. I wash all my fabric in vinegar and cold water before using just to be sure and I haven't had any troble with bleeding.

Years ago Rit made a color remover, I had to use it one time because the embroidery on one of my daughers sports jerseys bled. It did a fair job, took a few washings and finally got it out.

Good luck. I hate it when stuff like that happens.
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It's not your mama's sewing.....It's your great grandmama's
  
Member since 4/1/08
Posts: 16111
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Posted on: 8/4/11 6:50 PM ET
In reply to RFMK
Here's the blip from the Rit site:

Color Remover

Removes or reduces fabric color before dyeing to a different or lighter color. Also safely removes most stains on whites that have accidentally been washed with colored items.

It sounds kind of scary, as if it might cause more color to leach out of wherever the red came from. Do you have any scraps that you can use for little quilt samples that will behave like the big quilt when you try procedures on them?
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I also use vinegar to set color.
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Besides the other recommended solutions, you could try some of the treatments that are used for vintage linens. I've done that with some linens and none of the embroidery has leached color to the linen. It is a days long process though.
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I'm so sorry that this has happened.
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Each fallen petal reveals a life pollinated by a colony
and nurtured by The Master Gardener.
  
Member since 8/24/10
Posts: 26
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Posted on: 8/5/11 6:01 AM ET
Thanks for all the suggestions!
I have also read that vinegar can be good for getting dye out although they specified white vinegar so maybe different types do different things?
Anyway, yesterday I went through 3 soak for 6 hours then wash cycles and most of the pink has gone - I think it's as white as it's going to get. The whitening stuff (Vanish) is starting to fade some of the other colours so I'm hesitant to keep soaking it.
I'm giving it to my friend tomorrow, along with a bag of different detergents to try
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Member since 5/11/09
Posts: 288
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Posted on: 8/8/11 2:04 PM ET
In reply to RFMK
Strangely, I've used white vinegar to get out bleeding (sometimes works, sometimes doesn't) AND set color (sometimes works, sometimes doesn't)!
  
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